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Alexei Yagudin figure skating center opens in Minsk

MINSK, 18 April (BelTA) – A figure skating center of Russia’s Olympic champion Alexei Yagudin opened in Minsk on 18 April, BelTA has learned.

“I have been spending a lot of time in Belarus recently. I had the idea of a school for a long time, and Alexei Yagudin figure skating center has finally opened its doors in Minsk. It is time to share knowledge and experience,” the outstanding athlete said.

Alexei Yagudin, Olympic champions Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin and children’s coach Polina Shelepen held a clinic for young athletes. Taking part in the event were about 250 boys and girls.

Prominent Russian coach in figure skating Tatiana Tarasova expressed hope that the center will roll out many figure skaters and ice hockey player. “I am happy that my best student has opened the school. I hope that the experience of Russian specialists will help Belarusian athletes grace the podium at many world and European sport forums,” she said.

Attending the official opening ceremony was Belarus’ Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko, Belarus’ Sport and Tourism Mister Sergei Kovalchuk and outstanding Russian coach Oleg Vasiliev.

Well-known Russian coaches will be working in the center. “I am not saying that the center will be minting Olympic champions as early as tomorrow. We will organize systematic work which I hope will bring good results. Experts famous in the world of figure skating will be coaching in the center. Among them will be Oleg Vasiliev, Tatiana Totmianina, Maxim Marinin, Polina Shelepen, Yana Khokhlova,” Alexei Yagudin said.

He said that he will visit Minsk to give master classes. “Developing a school of your own is a long, complex, and very emotional process. We will not destroy the training system that has been already built in Belarus. On the contrary we will try to provide all possible assistance and integrate into the system so that everything works as a single mechanism,” Alexei Yagudin added.

Alexei Yagudin figure skating center will train children aged from 3 to 9. Novice skaters will train according to the unique program developed by leading experts. The center will help experienced athletes too. Working with the Belarusian national figure skating team will be one of the lines of work. The initiative to open the center has been supported by the Belarusian Sport and Tourism Ministry, the National Olympic Committee and the Belarus Skating Union.

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